#anch is a game meant to be enjoyed for years. there is no end to it. u just play

[poorlittlevampire]

i think part of why its so annoying to me is bc it completely misunderstands what the point of animal crossing even is. its not a fast paced game thats constantly changing and updating. it is a simple. slow. calm game. where you just live through each day. it was never ever a flashy exciting series thats not what it is meant to be. and thats fine if u as the player get bored of it but it doesnt mean that its time for the next game. we dont NEED the next game yet we really dont. nothing would be massively added or changed like be real with urself dude

[panddora]

Ma anche per te, c'e una luce (but even for you, there is a light)

  Read it also in ao3 : http://archiveofourown.org/works/9494294

  It's Nico 's birthday and he doesn't really feels like celebrating it. Lucky for him,he has friends that make sure to remember him the importance of this date. 

 Hope you like it :3

“Happy Birthday Nico! I have something special for you!” Bianca said as she handled him a gift. Her voice was soft, maternal-like, a consequence of taking care of him since they lost their parents, and she had a warming smile on her face, something that seemed to turn the space around them into light, something nico could never get tired of.

  He took the gift, an old-fashioned decorated box, with different patterns of different colors on each side. It was heavy, but nothing the boy couldn’t deal with, that made him wonder if it had been expensive, he didn’t want to cause problems to his sister, but he really wanted to posses whatever was in the box, in the most childish way to want something.

 “C’mon, open it already” It was almost like she could read his mind. He stared with amazement to the gift. Has he ever earned something as impressive as this? He didn’t remember, but touching it gave goosebumps on his skin. He opened the box, excited and expecting.

  There were nothing inside the box.

  There were emptiness.

  There were shadows.

  There were darkness. And the darkness took hold of everything. It came out of the box just like evilness came out of Pandora’s jar, quick and without control. Before Nico could suit himself, he was in nowhere and nowhere he could see his sister.

  He screamed for her, putting everything he had out of his lungs, but he couldn’t find her, he could never find her. Nico di Angelo was utterly alone.

  Or that was what he thought.

   It soon started, from nowhere to anywhere. First as a humming, then as puzzling whispers and then as clear voices. “Look at yourself children of Death, how miserable you are…So full of despair. Who would ever care about you. Why would anyone love you?”

  The voices were turning higher and higher,it felt like his eardrums were about to bleed. He pressed his palms against his ears and started buzzing ,trying to ignore the sounds. He couldn’t,they were inside his head

  "Why would she come back for you? Why would anyone come back for you?”

  Nico felt like he was slipping away,like he was going to dissapair,like he was turning into nothing.

  He woke with a start.

  He was panting hard. His body covered in sweet,every breathe seemed to stole all the oxygen of the place. He swallowed a lump in his throat and slowly realized where he was. It was dark and the corners of the ceiling and ground had bones and skulls drawn on it. He himself were in bed that resembled a coffin, with mahogany frames, brass railings, and bloodred blanket and pillow.

   It’s archaic appearance made it resemble a haunted house that would probably make a normal person felt terrified by sleeping on it one night

   But not a children of Hades

   At least not that children of Hades

   Yes,that was where he was, cabin 13 at the camp half-blood. It was just a nightmare, he told himself, even thought the images of his dream still alive in his head  and he still could picture his sister’s face,just like he could still hear the voices. He needed to stop thinking about it.

   He bend forward the bed and grabbed his sword, unsheathed it, letting it’s glow purple light surrounding the room. He put his hand against the blade, not enough to cut himself, but enough to let the cold sensations of the Stygian iron flood into his skin. He was fine. He was alive.

   After his lovely vacation into Tartarus,he started having all kind of nightmares, although they were becoming less and less frequent since he decided to stay at the camp.

   Of course, he would have a nightmare in his own birthday.

   Most part of mortals would be celebrating it, throwing parties, hanging out or enjoying the day with family and friend. But not Nico. He didn’t actually understood why would them be so happy with getting more age “You are getting closer to your own death, Congratulation! Have a cake!”.

   Though,he could understand why would a demigod celebrate it. Each anniversary meant a whole new year without been killed by any monster, what is a good reason to celebrate itself. At least,while they still have time.

   But he didn’t liked that idea anyways, it’s not like he ever had a birthday party,but the thought of being around a lot of loud people made him feel uncomfortable. He liked to enjoy quiet and peaceful days by his own.

   Besides, he didn’t expect any of his friends, the few ones he had, to acknowledge his birthday, and he thought it was better this way. Maybe Hazel would send him a iris messenger from Camp Jupiter, but It’s not like he was waiting for it anyway.

   He get out of the cabin wearing all black, despite the fact every other demigod in the camp used the casual orange clothes. He felt more in black than in any other color, maybe it was the whole son of the god of death thing.

   After the breakfeast ,he tried to talk to Will, not about the day, just to give a single “good afternoon”.  They had been dating for a while now, so interaction was an important in their relationship, but he was pretty hard to find. Knowing Will, he probably was at the infirmary, since the previous day they had the capture the flag game.

   Nico had thing to do too, he had work with strawberries He was starting to enjoy that activity. The first time he hated the fact that the fruits seemed to wither a bit by his touch. Now they seemed normal to him, besides he really liked their smell, and the fresh air gave him a good mood.

   Suddenly,he remember the day Solace joined him. Will started to sing just to annoy the boy,so they ended up very dirty after throwing fruits against each other , and smelling  like strawberries for the rest of the week. Nico couldn’t help but smile at that memory. Maybe working there wasn’t that bad at all.

   At the time of lunch he sat in the apollo’s table, thanks to Will insistence, but this time the places surrounding him were full, so they didn’t get side by side.He could still see sunny boy, eating his food and talking with his brothers and sisters. He caught Nico’s eyes looking at him which made he felt a bit embarrassed, but Will simply smilled and waved to him. Nico ignored him and get him atention back to his food, like it was the most intresting thing in north-America.

   Before doing so,he saw colored pieces around Solace’s fingers. Bandages. He wondered what kind of weird treatment they were offering that would give him those wounds hidden by band-aids. Or maybe he was just trying to improve his abilities with arrows, what was an even more dreadful thought.

   Whatever it was, Nico didn’t keep that in his mind for much longer. He had the day off, and from what he knew by Lou Ellen, Will were spending the rest of his day in him job, that consisted in basically having to deal with broken bones and people throwing up. Di Angelo decided to take a break into the forest.

   He liked to go to one of the farest places, where there was no camper or creature, just Nico and the birds around. He was slowly getting used to have people around him, but sometimes he just wanted to have a peaceful time alone ,so he sat against one of the largest trees and let himself drown into the nature. Not the enough to fall sleep ,of course, he was afraid of having another nightmare.

   It was good to stay there, but it felt like something was lacking. He then thought of Hazel and wondered about an Iris message. She wasn’t and expert in this subject, not used with the Greek way of communication, and probably was busy with New Roman problems. Yet, Nico wouldn’t mind listen to his sister’s voice. It has been a while.

   Sister. Bianca. Why would anyone care about you?

   He slapped his own cheeks. There was no use in thinking about stupid dreams. He tried to change the subject of his mind, and started to think about Will. It was funny how easily his mind could drift into him.

   Their relationship were still unusual to Nico. He never dated anyone before and were still coming in terms with his own sexuality, but he knew he liked sunny boy way too much. He liked talking to him and standing close to him. He enjoyed the way he smiled and kissing him was still strange but very pleasant.

   He kinda wanted to kiss him again.

   And he kinda of missed him a bit.

   Of course they saw each other often, but Will had been so busy that they didn’t had time to interact with each other, what was as bad as not seeing each other at all. He realized that Solace not being there gave him the sensation of something lacking,just his presence there would make that moment better. Just the two of them, not talking, just standing together.

   He remembered what he heard once in a movie, that you know you’ve found someone really special when you can comfortably share silence. He wondered that now he had found this person, he could keep it forever.

   Then he remembered the “special person” from the movie died by fire shots and decided it was time to go back to the cabin.

   In his way back, he couldn’t stop himself from observing how the place earned life as he walked by, almost as if a dead forest was borning into a new one. He could then see magical creatures, nymphs in their own trees, playing and ignoring time and problems or satyrs talking, probably about the great Pan or the nature, or maybe just about tin cans for dinner.

   Many of the creatures there Nico learnt the name from his mythomagic cards, now resumed in the state of ashes, what was a result of his rage and hurt against the world for taking his sister away. He thought that maybe if he had it, now that he was older and wiser, he would keep it as recodation of the good times with bianca. There are things one cannot bring back, at least he still had his memories with her,and the last gift she ever gave him, a Hades miniature figurine.

   Nico greeted all the creatures that passed through, making his best to became what Will called ''social and polite''. Most of them were still afraid of him, but he was surely making progress. The truth was, even if he liked to blame Will for having to interact with so many, he actually liked the idea  of people not judging him and being nice to him.

   The eyes of disapprobation were becoming smiles of kindness. He couldn’t really complain.

   In his way back, he could hear a familiar voice calling for him. “Look if isn’t a cupcake becoming older today”. Nico turned to face Hedge, the middle aged satyr with a terrible temperament an talent of being a terrible Hollywood stunt double. He was carrying his son little Chuck in on of his arms arms and holding a pot with a strange plant in the other.

   Nico smiled. He didn’t had many satyr friends, he didn’t had many friends at all, so alongside with Grover, those two his favorite ones. “Hello Hedge” He stretched his army in the baby’s direction. “Hello Chuck”.

   Babies, young children and animals usually didn’t had much fondness for him, It had probably something to do with the smell of death impregnated in his soul, and the feeling was mutual .However, he couldn’t help himself about liking that child, that seemed to feel the same, grabbing his finger and laughing to him.

   Nico knew satyrs grew up slower than humans usually did, he wondered if that boy would still like him after understanding what was actually happening around him. He hoped so. He turned his head to the fake coach“Why do you think today is my birthday?”

  “Well, ya know, we mystical and old creatures have the guts to use very distinct ways to gain acknowledgement” He had a tone that tried to show wisdom.

   Nico gave him a skeptical look “oh really?”

  “Yeah! Also the events of our deadly mission last year gave me a life-changing acknowledgment about you. Here take this as a gift” And handed him the pot

   Nico smiled thinly and accepted it. He remembered how last time he let rage take hold of himself and his powers coming out in a horrifying display. He also remembered  how Hedge took care of him and did not judged him.

   He really liked the guy.

  “Thanks for the plant, I guess” It was really unexpected and unusual, but kinda made that a happy moment.

  “Not any plant” ;he pointed cheerfully. “And special plant”

  “Special?”

  “It’s a carnivorous plant!” It was true,now Nico recognized the shape of it “Most part of plants chose to live a calm with only photosynthesis, but not this one. This one is a hunter, it fights for food and has my deepest respect. Pretty cool isn’t it?” Now that was expected from the guy who named his kid after Chuck Norris.

  “Thanks, I really appreciate it” And with that, Hedge gave him a satisfied face. “ Then my job here is done, time to feed this brat here” He lifted up his on in his arms,now able to hold him with both of them. “Give goodbye to Nico, young man”.

   The boy made a couple of small noises and started to laughing  about them. Nico decided it was a noble way of saying goodbye “Far thee well, Chuck” He tried to pat his head, but the boy quickly tried to eat the sleeve of his jacket, what made him stand back “Wow, someone is starving”

   Hedge had proud in his voice “Warriors need food to fight” And turned away. Nico watched them disappearing into the woods, and so he put himself again in his own way .

  He reached his cabin and stared at the plant wondering where he was going to put it at all. He never thought about taking care of a living things and really didn’t want it to die. He should ask a child of Demeter what to do. He heard once them talking and giving name to the plants,and wondered if it helped somehow.

  He put his finger inside what looked like the mouth of the plant, he expected it to close around his member, it didn’t.

  “I think I’m gonna call you Jackie from Jackie Chan, I guess it lives up to the person that gave me you. And I hope talking to you will make you live, cause I feel pretty stupid” . .He stepped into the cabin and heard a scream.

  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICO”

   He almost let Jackie fall.

   Before he could realize what was going on, he felt warm arms wrapped him and curly hair against his skin. He could smell a perfume he had given to his sister until he realize the person hugging him was actually his sister.

  “Hazel…?” He embraced her back, what was no easy with a pot in his hand, and then looked over her shoulder to find out who else was in the room. There were Jason and Piper using stupid hats and sappy smiles; Reyna holding an strange and utterly black cake; Frank ,looking very uncomfortable occupying space in the cabin, like he didn’t fit in the place.

   Finally, he laid his eyes on Will, which cheerful expression made the sleeping skeletal butterflies in his stomach fly once again. He wasn’t sure he was ever gonna get used to that.

   He let go of Hazel, put the pot on the ground and stared at the scene to make sure it wasn’t a kind of dream. A very pleasant and strange kind of dream.

  “Y-you guys…I mean how are- just... What?”   He was having problems in keep his thoughts straight, he had a problem with straight  things in general.

  “We are here to celebrate you birthday of course!” Jason answered the question almost as if he had waited the whole day for it.

  “Well I got that part, I just don’t get how you even-I mean, most of you were not even supposed to be here and I’m not sure this is allowed by Chiron or Mr. D…”

   Reyna, which hands were now free from the cake, that now lying in one of the coffin-like beds, got closer and put her hands in his hair, turning his messy hair messier. ”Don’t do it, you thinking too much. We are here because we want to, and that’s all”

  “Oh,really?” He look was once again skeptical. Those thing did not happened with him often.

  “Really” She replied “We used a lame excuse about having to deal with the greek-roman to come here. Those two” he pointed to Jason and Piper “ Just have a lot of free time, and Solace had the idea so he had the minimal moral obligation to stay here with us”

   Nico blinked twice in surprise. Now the butterflies were dancing. Great. “Wait,this was your idea?”

  “Well” Will smirked, Nico almost screamed to the butterflies to shut up “You said you never had a party, so I thought why not? Now you can’t complain about me being a bad boyfriend”

  “I will still complaint”

  “Well,I tried”

   Jason cleaned his throat, “ You know,if you want  we can kill two birds with one stone and turn this birthday party in an engagement party” He blinked and Nico felt the red in his face  “If you keep saying things like this, you won’t survive to your ownt engagement “

  “Hey!” Piper made and Indignant sound “Excuse me, I need him. And if you wanna know I was the one to that convinced Chiron to let us here. I may have used my charm and may have said that if we didn’t make this event you could bring an army of zombies to the camp or turn demigods into ghosts…but I’m pretty sure he let us because I said please”

  “And we brought some stuff for fun” Frank finally introduced himself in the conversation “Like some movies Reyna chose that we can use in the projector we get from Hermes kids, or monopoly”  

   Nico giggled “You brought Monopoly? Wasn’t the blood from the last war enough? I may be a children of death but even I have my own limits…” He turned to Reyna “What’s the movie about?”

  “Pirates of Caribean” She seemed amused

  “Really?”

  “You can be a true fan of pirates without watching it”

  “I don’t like pirates that much”

  “Right. And I have talent with relationships” She replied and blinked to Nico. Jason coughed.  

   Hazel appeared in front of him again with stuff on her arms.

  “Okay, first things first” She tossed a book to him “ Your gifts! Percy and Annabeth couldn’t make it here, but Percy gave me that cake. He said you liked his mom’s food, so she made this one,but black to match you. And Annabeth send this book”

   Nico felt touched by the couple’s actions as he read the name of the book , a Italian version of The Divine Comedy. “Ha, a book about hell to the son of hell’s boss, very original” He complained, but was also smiled.

  “I’m glad you liked, this one is mine” She handed him a photo album and a camera “I thought it was I good ideia to…you know, keep vivid good memories”

   He stared at the machine, it was one those that gave you the picture instantly. He remembered how he wanted one of those when he was infant, but at some point he lost the interest. He stopped believing there were anything worth to capture in those lens.

   Maybe there was now.

   And it hit him, in that moment, that he was in his surprise party. That he somehow had people who liked him enough to make this for him.

 “Who would ever care about you?”

  Them. This small group of people, they care.

“ So….What about we take the first picture of your album and start the party?” Piper proposed.

  Nico couldn’t think in any better idea. “ok,but I’m not using that dumb hat”.

   They took the photo, not only one but dozen of them. They talked about silly things and ate the food from Mrs. Jakson. They played Monopoly (And that moment their friendship almost died) ,and of course Reyna won. They ended the night watching the movies. Jason,Piper and Frank on the ground, backs against the bed where Reyna, Hazel,Nico and Will were respectively sitting.

   Hazel’s head in his shoulder, Solace hand against his own and happiness was inside of him.  He thought about how things can change in one year. In his last birthday, he was alone at some dark place,and now he had these guys standing close to him.

  He couldn’t stop the feeling that all the changes felt like healing. As if there were something gnawing through him since he found out he was a demigod and now it was finally stopping. Of course the scars that were deep inside of him were never leaving.

  But at least they could stop hurting.

He was now siting in front of the cabin’s door. He wake up before everyone,he didn’t remembered falling sleep, but doubt any of them did, specially considering their positions against each other.

   He went out just to catch some breath when heard the familiar voice “ You shouldn’t sneak out of the cabin a night or the harpies are gonna eat you”. Will was leaning against the door.

 “Really? I do it often and they never tried, maybe they are afraid of me, but don’t worry” He patted the ground at his side “I won’t hurt you”

  "Wow, I feel so safer now that I know that the great Lord of Darkness and Shadows, King of Ghosts won’t hurt me”

   Nico smirked “Just shut up and sit” And Will did so, reaching for Nico’s hand and squeezing before quickly letting it go. “Happy Birthday death boy, I have something to you” And for his hand went into his pocket, where he took two things. The first thing was a necklace and the second one looked like a miniature figure.

  “I Know you are not one for following the rules of the camp” He turned him eyes from Nico’s face to his shirt and then back to his face “But I got this camp necklace for you,I hope you will use it, I made the first bead” He put it in his hand.

  Nico observed it. It was featuring a wine bead with a silver skull and something that that looked like Hade’s Helm. Nico loved it.

 “Don’t worry, I won’t let the time you wasted doing this be totally wasted” And he put around his neck, and it felt right being there, like it was a part of him now. “And the other gift”

 “U-uh that….” He face turned slightly red. He was cute blushing, Nico noticed “The second one is pretty much a lame” And he handled him the object.

  It was a miniature figurine, like those that came with mythomagic cards. He tried to figure out which God was that, just to realize it was no God he knew. But the features were familiar, the messy hair and face…And then he realized it was no God he knew. I didn’t had a very clear shape, but he knew who was that.

  It was himself.

  It was Nico

  Oh Gods

  He turned to Solace, that was now looking away with clear embarrassment. “This…?”

 “Yeah” He replied quickly “It’s you, or something that was supposed to be you. I thought you would like it, since you used to have a collection. But I’m not as talented in carving as I am in opening bodies so…it took a while” And he showed his hands full of bandages, so that was why he was so busy theses day.

  Nico put the toy at his own pocket and took will’s hands, it gave him a thrilling sensation. “I don’t even know what to say, but thank you, really”

  Will smiled, and leaned forward to kiss Nico softly on his lips.

  And they stayed there, sharing their comfortably silence.

  And Nico changed his mind, he liked commemorating his birthday after all.